Metro Bacolod: Navigating Through the Smiles (Day 3)

Coming into my third day in Bacolod, I was happy that I was able to go through my travel as I planned it out. My flight back to Manila was scheduled in the afternoon so my morning was my free time to catch up on some areas that I missed out. My itinerary for the morning were areas that were close to where I was staying as I did not want to stress myself catching up on my flight.

Bacolod Downtown Market

My first stop was the Bacolod Downtown Market which was just two blocks away from my hotel. I am fascinated with the public market of any destination that I visit as it gives me a glimpse of the everyday life of the locals.

A sidewalk scene at the Baolod Public Market.

The public market is just one block that houses the basic necessities for the home. I did not find any souvenir shops in the market which is a clear indication that visitors of Bacolod do not check out the public market. I was trying to look for a souvenir shirt and I had to be directed to a garments store which did not offer me much of a selection.

Pope John Paul II Tower

A fifteen minute walk towards the reclamation area will bring you to a pilgrimage site in Bacolod City – the Pope John Paul II Tower. Conveniently tucked at the back of SM City Bacolod, this 7-story building houses pictures, relics, and souvenirs of Pope John Paul II’s 1981 visit to the city. The site of the building is a reclamation site and it is the same location where the blessed pope celebrated mass during his visit.

The Pope John Paul II Tower can be found at the Reclamation Area near SM City Bacolod.

The roofdeck of the building offers a spectacular view of Bacolod City and the Guimaras Strait. It was a great finale on my visit to Bacolod City.

The roofdeck of the Pope John Paul II Tower offers a spectacular view of the Bacolod Sea Port.

My trip to Bacolod was definitely one of the trips that I enjoyed last year. Apart from the food which I will be sharing my thoughts on a later blog, I was able to go around the city on my own and I succeeded in finding my own adventures. It was all about a walk with history, meeting amazing people like Mr. Hofilena, and was just finding my way through the city and discovering new things to enjoy. Bacolod City is indeed the city of smiles and true to it’s name – it definitely made me smile.